Briefly

UNITED STATES

Iran nuclear agency hit with sanctions

The US government said on Thursday that it has slapped sanctions on the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, or AEOI, and its chief Ali Akbar Salehi, while renewing waivers that allow foreign companies to continue working at Iranian nuclear sites. As a result, all property and any interests in property held by the Iranian agency and Salehi are blocked, and US citizens are "generally prohibited from transacting" with them.

Sex assault cases rise at military academies

The number of sexual assaults reported at US military academies rose again last year, the Pentagon said on Thursday, despite efforts to combat the problem. During the 2018-19 academic year, there were 149 such assaults reported to the authorities at three academies－where students train to be military officers－compared with 117 during the previous year. The rise marks an increase of more than 25 percent, the Pentagon said in a report.

SOUTH KOREA

2 Killed, 8 injured in leather factory fire

At least two people have been confirmed dead, with eight others injured, after a fire swept through a leather factory near Seoul on Friday. The blaze, which was believed to be caused by an explosion, broke out at 11:25 am local time at the factory in Yangju, 30 kilometers north of the capital. The fire was extinguished about 25 minutes later. It is thought that the cause was an explosion in the boiler room of the factory.

FRANCE

Green measures target clothes, plastic

The French Parliament on Thursday banned retailers from destroying unsold clothes and set out to outlaw single-use plastic containers by 2040. The measures are part of the government's efforts to reduce waste. It bans fast-food restaurants from serving food that is not for takeaway in plastic containers beyond 2023. All single-use plastic packaging will be banned 17 years later. The bill also creates a "repairability index" for electronic goods.